¥156 billion for nuclear projects

The government earmarked Tuesday ¥156.4 billion for the industry ministry to accelerate efforts to scrap the Fukushima No. 1 plant’s reactors and support companies seeking to export nuclear technologies in the draft budget for the next fiscal year.

About ¥4.2 billion will go to support projects to develop remote-controlled devices and other technologies to facilitate the decommissioning work where radiation levels are high, while ¥2.2 billion was set aside for projects that will contribute to the safety of nuclear plants.

The ministry is also expected to spend some ¥1 billion to support firms that conduct geological surveys for plants built abroad, in an apparent effort to maintain the level of Japan’s nuclear technology at a time when building new reactors domestically is proving difficult.